Press



J an. 9, 1923. 11,441,798.

C. G. GLADDEN.

PRESS.

FILED Nov. 10, 1921. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. G. GLADDEN.

Jan, 9, 1923,,

5 SHEETSSHEET 5- PRESS.

FILED NOV-10.1921.

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ll lliltenltedl ,llan. t ll, ltlfillll,

Cfl-lARlIilEFEJ G.Grlll-ll)lDEhl, OJFIVLARION, NORTH CAROLINA.

PREhS.

To (all who m, may mmccwt:

lle it known that l, (Jeannine (I'LADDEN, a citiz n of the United hltates, TGSICllDg at lllllLllOll, in the county of McDowell and t'ltate o l- North Carolina, have invented a new and useful llllpifOVBIllGllt in Presses, oli which the following is a specification, retcrencc being had to the accompanying draw- .i .1. 1 i

l lliy in' provement relates particularly to presses in which both pressure and heat are applied to the material which bein treated; ll ly press specially designed for dry ng or recliviini; wood veneer. Til the operation cl? drying wood veneer, it 15. desiral le that the pressure be applied during only short periods, in order that the sheets may shrink, due to drying, while the sheets are not held between press plates with such force as will lead to the l ting of the sheets dur ing contraction. The Ol'JIlQCt OT my l11VBIl-, tion is to produce an automatic press wherein numerous wood veneer sheets may be repeatedly auto:natically subjected to pressure and lleatilinii'ip; short pellOdFi, until the sheets have been sulli 'ientl'y dried or rcdried and presseifl to make them ready for use.

lily pr incluiiles, among other elements, a series (it horiiaontal plates or platens bet\'-.-'ecn which the veneer sheets are to be pres e v The alternate plates are placed in ..ien with. power mechanism for raising and lowering said plates. i fhen lifted, said iilates make contact with and litlt the other plates. .lluring downward iiaovenient oi? the l at set cl plates, every plate ol the second set is arrested and held by stationary During the :lurther downward Ill()"v'lll'l(-llii oi the plates o1 the first set, every iilate of the first set makes contact with iunl isarrested by the next lower plate, now stationary, of the second set. The power mechanism whicu. is in operative relation with the plates of the first setoperates continuom-rly. athn: being set in motion, until il, is stopped by the operator. 'll-hus said i set at plates are put through their movenn its automatically. The time during which were is Contact lietween plates may be varied hereinafter explained.

la the accompau ving drawings,

i lljf. l is a trout clevatioi'i ot a machine cmhoi'lving my llIlPlOVQlilQllli, the middle part being broken away and the rranlts being in their middle positions;

2 is an elevation of the left hand end oi the same machine;

3 18 an elevation of the right hand v thesanle machine;

l lg. 3 1s a detall elevat1on;

llig. l a plan of the same machine, the middle part being broken away;

Fig. is a horizontal section on the line, :3---5, oi. Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line, ('i 6, oi Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an upright section on the line, ?-Z", of Figs. 2 and l;

llig. 8 is an upright section on the line, 8-8, of Fig. 2, looking toward the left.

In said drawings, A, A, A, A are up right corner posts forming parts of the frame of the machine. In the-form shown by the drawings, these posts are of angle iron or steel. At each. end of the machine are three horizontal end pieces, A one near the base otthe corner posts, one at the upper cuts of the corner posts and another near the up perends of the corner posts, and all. secured imiuovably to the corner posts by means of belts or rivets, A These end pieces are in the form oi channel iron. Near the lower ends-1 oi? the corner posts, 'Front and rear horizontal frame pieces, A have their ends joined to the adjacent corner posts by means oi? bolts or rivets, A". These pieces are also channel for @n the upper end of the corner posts rest front and riar frame pieces, A, of angle-form cross sec-thin, said pieces being joined to the corner posts by bolts or rivets, r I

To provide more seating surface for the frame pieces, A, a bracket, A isplaced into the angle of each corner post, the upper face of the bracket being brought even with the upper face of the post. Bolts or rivets, d extend through said bracket and the adjacent corner post, A, as well as the adjacent frame member. in. Four cross pieces, ill, are placed with their ends rest- .ing on the front and rear members. A, the cross members being secured to the me1nhers, A, by bolts or rivets, A Said cross members are arranged in pairs suitably spaced to support shaft bearings and to receive spur gear wheels between them, as will appear further on.

In the trent and rear llanges oi the corner posts, A. are upright silos i k the slots in one oi said posts being at the levels ol the thecluteh, D engages the. drive pulley,l). Veneer sheets lying between the platens will be repeateely pressed and released, the duration oi pressure and the intervals of time between periods of pressure depending upon the velocity of the shaft, l), and the proportions of the various parts, The degree oi? pressure exerted upon the veneer sheets will depend upon the area and weight oil? the platens.

From. the foregoing it will be seen that the platens, B, are independent of each other and that during the upward movement of the platens, G, whereby the platens,

F. ii, are lifted every platen, B, is free to adjust itself individually on the upper "face oi the next lower platen, C. lit such ,sepa rate adaptability tor the platens, U, while they rest on the platens, ll, is desired, the holes in the hanger bars. C through which the bolts, Ci'extend, inay be made a little larger than the thickness of the bolts, in order that every bolt may have a little n1 anddown movement in the bar through which said bolt extends. (See Fig. 8.)

Any desired number oi the platens are to be heated. For this purpose, these platens are made hollow and provision is made for circulating steam or hot water through the platens. lln the form of theapparatus shown by the drawings, provision is made -lor thus heating all the platens. 'lhe platens are chambered or hollow. lit the right hand end oi? the machine, branch intake pipes, U, are tapped into the end oi. every platen, (1, near its rear edge. and. an exhaust branch pipe, C is similarly tapped into the end oi. every platen near its iii-ward i ed go.

All the branch pipes, (i are joined to a main supply pipe, 1 and all the e2rhanst branch pipes, C, are connected to a main. exhaust pipe, C At the left hand end oi the machine, corresponding branch pipes and main pipes, bearing correspond- By arranging; the pipes and the hanger bars and the suspension rods at the ends of the machine, the front and rear of the inachine are left clear for the insertion and removal oi veneer sheets into and out of the spaces between the platens. "llo facilitate engaging the veneer sheets by the hands at the operator, notches,E, are termed in tlieitront and rear edges of the platens.

The length of time during which the in. termittent nicveinenjts of the platens are to be continued and the veneer sheets are to remain in. the press will depend upon the thickness oi the veneer sheets and the condition, as to moisture, oil. the veneer sheets at the beginning. of? the operation and whether the sheets are to be given a preliniii'iary drying or a. iinal drying.

ll claim as my invention,

a l. in an apparatus of the nature .described, the combination oil? a eroup 0t horizontal idle platens supported to permit upand-down movement and spaced :troin each other suilicientlv to leave between them spaces ater th e the thickness of the belowanentioned active platensv active platens alternating with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, and means for intermittently reciprocating the active platei'is to cause said platens to bear iu nvard against andlitt the next higher idle platens, and then o descend until the lifted idle platens are again engaged by and rest on their supports and until the active platens again rest upon the next lower idle platens, substantially described.

In an apparatus of. the nature described, the combination of a groin) ot horizontal idle platens supported to permit upand-down rnovernent and spaced from each other sufficiently to leave between them spaces ,ggreater than the thickness of the below-mentioned active platens, active platens alternatingwith the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, means joiniiur said active platens to hold said platens a group for substantially simultaneous up-and-down movement, and

means for periodically reciprocating said group of platens to cause each platen of said group to bear upward against and lift the next higher idle platen, and then to descend. until. the lifted idle pl ens are again enedhy and rest on their supports and until every active platen again res s upon the next lower idle platen, substantially as described,

. 3. in an apparatus of the nature desrribed, the combination ot": a group ot' horizontal idle platens suppm-ted to permit upand-down movement and spaced from each other sufficiently to leave between them spaces greater than the thickness ot the be low-mentioned active platens, active platens alternating with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, means for intermittently reciprocating the active platens to cause said platens to bear upward agai and liit the next higher idle platens, (nil then to descend until the lifted idle platens are till engra ed by and rest on their supports and lllllill. the active platens again rest upon the next lower idle platens, and me. tor heating; said pl tcns, substantially as described.

l. in an app... tus of the nature described, the combination oil a group oi horiaontal idle plat s si'iliported to permit upand-down nuwenu-mt and spaced from each other suilliciently to leave between them spaces greater than the thickness of the below-mentioned active platens, active platens alternating with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter,

means joining said active platens to hold said platens as a group for substantially simultaneous up-and-down movement, means for periodically reciprocating said group of platens to cause each platen of said group to bear upward against and lift the next higher idle platen, and the-n to descend until the lifted idle platens are again engaged by and rest on their supports and until every active platen again rests upon the next lower idle platen, and means for heating said platens, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination of a group of horizontal idle platens supported to permit upand-down movement and spaced from" each other sufiiciently to leave between them spaces greater than the thickness of the below-mentioned active platens, active platens alternating with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, a rotary shaft in operative relation with the active platens to periodically reciprocate the active platens to cause said platens to bear upward against and lift the next higher idle platens, and then to descend until the lifted idle platens are again engaged by and rest on their supports and until the active platens again rest upon the next lower idle platens, and means for heating said platens, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination of a group of horizontal idle platens supported to permit upand-down movement and spaced from each other sulficiently to leave between them spaces greater than the thickness of the be low-mentioned active platens, active platens alternating with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, upright reciprocatory suspension rods in operative relation with the active platensto periodically reciprocate the active platens to cause said platens to bear upward against and lift the next higher idle platens, and then to descend until the lifted idle platens are again engaged by and rest on their supports and until the active platens again rest upon the next lower idle platens, and means for heating said platens, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the nature described. the combination of a group of horizontal idle platens supported to permit upand-down movement and spaced from each other sufiiciently to leave between them spaces greater than the thickness of the below-mentioned active platens, active platens alternating with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, upright reciprocatory suspension rods in operative relation with the active platens to lift said platens during a part of each reci juocation of said reciprocatory suspension rods substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus of the nature described, the combination of a group of horiz'ontal idle platens, upright corner posts formed for supporting said platens with spaces between them greater than the thickness of the belmv-nientioned active platens, ac'tive platens alternating with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, means for periodically reciprocating the active platens to cause said platens to bear upward against and lift the next higher idle platens, and then to descend until the lifted idle platens are again engaged by and rest on their supports and until the active platens again rest upon the next lower idle platens, and n'i'ea'ns for heating said platens, substantially as described.

In an apparatus of the nature dcs'cribe'd, the combination ot a group of horizolital idle platens, laterally directed bars on said platens, upright corner posts having slots for receiving said bars. active plaicns alternating with the idle platens and :nlapted to rest by gravity on the latter, means for periodically reciprocating the active platens to cause said platens to hear upward against and lift the next higher idlc platens, and then to descend until the liltcd idle platens are again engaged by and rest on their supports and until the active platens again rest upon the next lower idle platens. and means for heating Said platens, suhslimtially as described.

10. In an apparatus oi? the nature described, the combination of group of idle platens supported to permit up-aruI-down movement and spaced from each other sutiicien'tl'y to leave between them spares greater than the thickness of the below-incutioned active platens, active platens nltcrnat s ing with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, upright hanger bars: joined to the active platens. yokcs joined I'o said hanger bars, means for rcciprm'uting the yokes to cause said platens to l an upward against and lift the next higher idle platens and then to descend until the lifted idle platens are again engaged by and rest" on their supports and until the active platens again rest upon the next lower idle pluicns. and means for healing said platens, sub tant'i'ally as described.

11. In an apparatus of the nature do scribed, the combination of a group of idle platens supported to permit np-'.unl-do\vn movement and spaced from each other su1liciently to leave between them spaces grcun-r than the thickness of the lnlow-nwnthmczl active. platens active platens alternating with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, upright hanger bars 1.30

movement and spaced from each other sufiioiently to leave between them spaces greater than the thickness of the below-mentioned active platens, active platens alternating With the idle platens and adapted to rest by grmvity on. the latter, upright l'ianger ba s joined to the active platens, yokes joined to said hanger bars, horizontal end trains pieces, hearings on said frame pieces, reciprocatory suspension rods slid-able in said bearings and in operative relation with said yokes for lifting the latter during a part of ieachreciprocation of said rods, and means to]: heating said platens, substantially as described. i

18. lin an apparatus of the nature described, the combinatlon of a group of horizontal idle platens, upright corner posts ftormed for supporting said platens With spaces between them greater than the thickness oi the below-mentioned active platens,

active platens alternating With the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, suspension rods in operative relation with the active platens for raising said. platens during a part off each reciprocation and lowering the active platens during another part oil the reciprocation of the suspension rods, a pitman coupled to each. suspension rod, a crank coupled to each pitrnan, means :for rotating said cranks, and means for heating said platens, substantially as described,

14. lin an apparatus of the nature described, the combination of a group of l1orizontal idle platens supported to permit upand-down movement and spaced tron'i each other suiiiciently to leave between them spaces greater than the thickness oi the be low-mentioned active platens, active platens alternating with the idle platens and adapted to rest by gravity on the latter, means yieldingly joined to the active platens for reciprocating said platens to cause them to bear upvvard against and. lift the next higher idle platens and then to descend until the lifted idle platens are again engaged by and rest on their supports and until the active platens again rest upon the next lovver platens, and means for heating said platens, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof: I have signed my name this 9th day oi? November, in the year one thousand nine hundred and twenty-one.

CHAR-LEE (l. GlQADDlTINL 

